Did they do a good job in terms of restoration? The extras sure sound enticing, and while I haven't seen the last two Thin Man films, I really enjoyed the first four and was hoping to hear from from those who picked up the set. I'll probably get it anyway, with it being such a good price and all.

Well, I have the first film on DVD...and the restoration is so-so. I don't think the print was in a bad way to begin with, but they certainly didn't give it the Criterion treatment.

For six bucks a DVD the new set is worth it, regardless of the quality of the transfers. You can't go wrong with William Powell and Myrna Loy...I'd also reccommend Libeled Lady on DVD if you've never seen it.

Okay, it's four years later and I've watched this set dozens of times since I got it. These movies are so much fun. I also enjoy the various substitute Thin Man movies made around the same time. A book about Hollywood detectives I'm reading claims that when William Powell took a two-year break from movies after being diagnosed with colon cancer, MGM rushed out several Thin Man style films as insurance.

Melvyn Douglas appeared in two new similarly-themed films: as rare book dealer/sleuth Joel Sloane in Fast Company (1938; costarring Florence Rice) and There's Always a Women (1938; Joan Blondell)and its sequel There's That Woman Again (1939; Virginia Bruce).

The Joel Sloane character also appeared in Fast and Loose (1939; Robert Montgomery and Rosalind Russell) and Fast and Furious (1939; Franchot Tone and Ann Sothern).

William Powell himself appeared in two Thin Man knock offs--Star of Midnight (1935; Ginger Rogers) and The Ex-Mrs. Bradford (1936; Jean Arthur). I'd love to get all of these films on DVD and have been lusting after them for years.

OK, so here's some weirdness...I clicked to quote Jim's post in my reply and some other post about rare soundtracks popped up. Hmmmm...

Anyway, Jim P. -- a movie I love in this genre is GRAND CENTRAL MURDER, a 1942 programmer with Van Heflin and Virgina Grey as sluething couple "Rocky" and "Butch" Custer. Check out this supporting cast: Patricia Dane, Cecilia Parker, Connie Gilchrist, Betty Wells (a hoot as 'Baby' DelRoy) and... in a bit role...Mickey Rooney's dad! Joe Yule!! The bulk of it takes place either in Grand Central Station, backstage in a conveniently located Broadway theater, or in a cramped police interrogation room. Runs a little over an hour, as I recall, and very entertaining. Heflin & Grey play well together. (I always liked her.) This turns up on TCM from time to time; I think this was the only movie featuring these particular characters.

I'd highly recommend THE REAL NICK AND NORA, a biography of the masrried screenwriters Goodrich and hackett, who head, if anything, mre of an imfluence than Hammdett himself kn crezting those two characters on the screen. Read Hammett's nove;, and wok

I highly recommend THE REAL NICK AND NORA, the biography of married screenwriters/playwrights Francis Goodrich and Albert Hackett. Read the original Hammett THIN MAN novel and discover how much of the humor in the characterizations derives from the film script.

I highly recommend THE REAL NICK AND NORA, the biography of Francis Goodrich and Albert Hackett, the married screenwriters/playwrights who were actually more essential than Hammett himself in creating the essential humor of these beloved characters.

.....I'd highly recommend THE REAL NICK AND NORA, a biography of the masrried screenwriters Goodrich and hackett, who head, if anything, mre of an imfluence than Hammdett himself kn crezting those two characters on the screen. Read Hammett's nove;, and wok......

I'll have to read THE REAL NICK AND NORA one day.....sounds interesting. Another husband/wife fictional detective team no one has mentioned yet is Mr. and Mrs. North, in radio, movies and early TV.

But, in the meantime, I have to say I absolutely LOVE this paragraph you've written, Preston. It reminds me of some sort of talking robot winding down and running amok in its speech. I STILL don't understand part of what you said there! Priceless!

The second film in this series, "Fast and Loose", references the first film,"Fast Company." It also reuses the same set used for the Sloanes' office. Robert Montgomery plays Joel a bit goofy and less Powell-like, which is different than Melvyn Douglas' Performance in the first film, who was more like Nick Charles in character as well as appearance. However, with "Fast and Loose", I am having trouble deciding who is prettier: Rosalind Russell or Robert Montgomery! lol Russell was never considered a great beauty, but I sure think she's swell. <3 She seems to be channelling Myrna Loy in the Nora Charles-like Garda Sloane character, speaking in Myrna's sophisticated tones. Speaking of Tones, Franchot will play Joel Sloane in the third film,"Fast and Furious." (No relation to that crap you kids watch)